Unfortunately, There's a Solid Chance Your Partner May Still Be Using Tinder

A third of those surveyed admitted to using a dating app while in a relationship.
- byReegan Von Wildenradt

11 Sep
2017

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Dating apps are slowly starting to become the social norm for meeting and talking with other single people. But how would you react if you found out that the person you were in a relationship with was actively scrolling through a dating app?

A survey of 2,100 people in the U.K. revealed that this questionable practice was a lot more commonplace that one would think, with 35 percent of those polled admitting to using a dating app while in a relationship with someone else.

Law firm Slater and Gordon was prompted to investigate the usage of dating apps by those in relationships after family lawyers started noticing dating apps being cited in divorce proceedings. A press release detailing the survey compared a number of different variables, including how as age and sex affected responses.

The findings revealed males were more likely to use a dating app behind their partner's back than females, with 46 percent of males and 21 percent of females admitting to the practice.

The top reasons males gave for looking on dating apps while involved with someone else were "bored," "sex life was dwindling," and "arguing a lot." Females cited "bored," "arguing a lot," and "lacking attention" as their top reasons.

These were all people that admitted to doing this behind their partner's back, assuming their partner was unaware of their sneaky swiping. The survey also looked into how people would respond if they knew their partner was using a dating app behind their back.

74 percent of those surveyed said they would consider divorce if they found their partner using a dating app and 51 percent said would dump their partner on the spot if they caught them. 50 percent said that they would expect their partner to delete all dating apps upon becoming "official."

However, it seems that the younger generation is a little more forgiving, or perhaps not in as many serious commitments, as two-thirds of people ages 16-24 said they would forgive their partner if they caught them on an app.

What does this all mean?

Whether or not you consider swiping through a dating app as a relationship betrayal or not, it's important to note that the people who admitted to fishing around were prompted to do so because of something going wrong in their relationship.